Today in Rock n' Roll History

[TimothyBFan]

1997 The classic Pink Floyd album ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ spent its 1056th week on the US album chart.

Can you imagine? Over 20 years on the charts! Unbelievable but understandable. Their best!!

[Troubadour]

Agreed. An absolutely incredible album. Blows my mind every time.

[Freypower]

Can you imagine? Over 20 years on the charts! Unbelievable but understandable. Their best!!

There you are, you see. I think Wish You Were Here is a better album.

[Koala]

1965 Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts bought the 16th century house that once belonged to an Archbishop of Canterbury.


1968 A free concert was held in London's Hyde Park with Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, Tyrannosaurus Rex and Roy Harper. This afternoon concert was the first free festival to be held in Hyde Park. The concert was held to coincide with the release of Pink Floyd's second album, A Saucerful of Secrets.

1984 Bruce Springsteen kicked off the first leg of his Born in the USA Tour with a three night run at the Civic Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. Springsteen would play a total of 156 shows ending on October 2, 1985 in Los Angeles.

1985 David Bowie and Mick Jagger recorded a version of the Martha Reeves and the Vandellas 1964 hit 'Dancing In The Street.'' for the forthcoming 'Live Aid' fundraising event. The single went on to become a No.1 UK hit.

1985 John Lennon’s 1965 Rolls-Royce Phantom V limousine, with psychedelic paintwork, sold for a record sum of $3,006,385, (£1,768,462) at a Sotheby's auction in New York.

1991 Jason Donovan had his third UK No.1 single with 'Any Dream Will Do' a song written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice for the 1968 musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Donovan was playing the lead role in a new London production of the musical.

1999 Michael Jackson suffered severe bruising after falling over 50 feet when a bridge collapsed during a concert at Munich's Olympic stadium. Jacko was singing 'Earth Song' at the time of the accident.

[Koala]

1973 George Harrison knocked Paul McCartney from the top of the US singles chart with 'Give Me Love, Give Me Peace On Earth'. His second US No.1, a No.8 hit in the UK.


1975 Cher married Greg Allman four days after her divorcing Sonny Bono, the couple split after ten days, followed by a three year on and off marriage.

1977 Marvel Comics launched a comic book based on the rock group Kiss.

2001 Beach Boys member Al Jardine went to court in a bid to sue his former band mates, claiming he had been frozen out of the Beach Boys. The $4 million (£2.35 million) suit was filed against Mike Love, Brian Wilson, the Carl Wilson Trust and Brother Records Incorporated in a New York Superior Court. In 1998 a US judge temporarily barred Jardine from performing under the name “Beach Boys Family And Friends” after representations from Mike Love and Brother Records. Jardine lost the case in 2003.

[Koala]

1967 The Beatles started a 15 week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band', the group's 10th US No.1 album.

1972 Sweet hits #4 in the UK with "Little Willy."

1990 Over a lunch meeting Mark Knopfler, John Illsley and Dire Straits manager, Ed Bicknell decide to reform the group, record an album and plan a world tour.

2000 Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band ended their Reunion tour with a ten night run at New York's MSG.

[Freypower]

1967 The Beatles started a 15 week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band', the group's 10th US No.1 album.

1972 Sweet hits #4 in the UK with "Little Willy."

1990 Over a lunch meeting Mark Knopfler, John Illsley and Dire Straits manager, Ed Bicknell decide to reform the group, record an album and plan a world tour.

2000 Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band ended their Reunion tour with a ten night run at New York's MSG.

Koala, you surpassed yourself! There is something here for several Borderers.

The 'album' referred to in 1990 was of course On Every Street. I saw that tour. I stil have the T shirt.

[TimothyBFan]

You've got that right FP!

1972 Sweet hits #4 in the UK with "Little Willy."

It wasn't till 2 years later that I first heard this song and started it all for me-I was in 4th grade.

Gosh--what a cheesy song-but I so love it!

Let's all sing...."little Willy, Willy won't go home. But you can't push Willly around, Willy won't go...."

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmbEuRzlhIs[/ame]

[Koala]

1966 Frank Sinatra went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Strangers In The Night'. The song was taken from the film 'A Man Could Get Killed'. Also a No.1 in the UK.

1971 Queen appeared at Surrey College, England. This was the group's first gig with the line-up of Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon.

1981 Bruce Springsteen played the first of six nights at the new Brendan Byrne Arena, New Jersey.

1988 Michael Jackson became the first artist to have five number one singles from one album when ‘Dirty Diana’ went to the top of the US charts. The other four chart-toppers from the LP ‘Bad’ were the title track, ‘I Just Can't Stop Loving You’, ‘The Way You Make Me Feel’ and ‘Man in the Mirror’.

2005 The world's biggest music stars united in concerts around the world to put pressure on political leaders ahead of the G8 summit to tackle poverty in Africa. Concerts in 10 cities, including London, Philadelphia, Paris, Berlin, Johannesburg, Rome and Moscow played to hundreds of thousands of people. A TV audience of several hundred million watched the gigs. In London Pink Floyd, The Who, Madonna, U2, Coldplay, Sting, The Scissor Sisters, Keane, and Paul McCartney performed. Philadelphia saw, Destiny's Child, Jay-Z and Bon Jovi, Canada, Bryan Adams and Neil Young headlined, Bjork headlined in Tokyo and Green Day played in Berlin.

[Koala]

1967 A private party was held at the Speakeasy Club in London, England for the Monkees. Guests included: John Lennon, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Dusty Springfield, Eric Clapton, Lulu and all the members from Manfred Mann, The Who and Procol Harum.

1968 At an impromptu gathering at Joni Mitchell’s house in Lookout Mountain, Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles, David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash played together for the very first time.

1971 American singer, songwriter and poet, Jim Morrison of The Doors was found dead in a bathtub in Paris, France, the cause of death was given as a heart attack. He co-wrote some of the group's biggest hits, including ‘Light My Fire’, ‘Love Me Two Times’, and ‘Love Her Madly.’ On the 25th anniversary of his death an estimated 15,000 fans gathered at Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, France to pay their respects.

1976 When rain stopped play during the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships, Cliff Richard launched into a spontaneous concert, where he led spectators through some of his old hits. It was later learned that Sir Cliff had planned the moment as a publicity stunt.

2002 Sir Elton John became the first person to be made an honorary doctorate from the Royal Academy Of Music.